Code the Classics

Take inspiration from the golden age of video games and write your own modern classics.​

Learn the stories behind the seminal video games of the 1970s and 1980s, and create your own games inspired by them, using Python, Pygame Zero, and an IDE. In Code the Classics Volume I, readers will find:​

• Game design tips and tricks from the masters​
• Expanded Python and Pygame Zero tutorials​
• GitHub tutorial for working with example code​

Download and play game examples by Raspberry Pi founder Eben Upton:​

• Boing! (A Pong-style tennis game)​
• Cavern (An action platformer inspired by Bubble Bobble)​
• Infinite Bunner (A take on the classic Frogger)​
• Myriapod (A fixed shooter homage to Centipede)​
• Substitute Soccer (A top-down-view football game, like Kick Off 2 and Sensible Soccer)

David Crookes began his career as a journalist in 1994 as a freelance writer for Amstrad Action. He has since written and worked for regional newspapers, The Independent, BBC Radio 5 Live, gamesTM, Wireframe, and Retro Gamer, among many others. His previous books include Cloud Computing In Easy Steps and Facebook for Beginners In Easy Steps. He also curated Videogame Nation, an exhibition celebrating the rise of gaming, which toured the UK.

Andrew Gillett grew up with early computers such as the ZX Spectrum, and was writing simple programs from the age of five. Since then, he’s worked on games that have sold millions, including Rollercoaster Tycoon 3, Kinectimals, and Kinect Disneyland Adventures. After working in the games industry for 13 years, he is now a computer science/programming tutor and indie developer.

Liz Upton was an award-winning journalist before becoming one of the co-founders of Raspberry Pi along with her husband Eben. She now works as Executive Director of Communications at Raspberry Pi. Liz plays the piano, collects and restores old fountain pens, and has an uncanny knack of getting toddlers to consume vegetables.

Eben Upton is the CEO of Raspberry Pi Ltd. He is responsible for the overall software and hardware architecture of Raspberry Pi computers and microcontrollers.

Dan Malone has been involved in the UK games industry for over 30 years and has been writing stories, games, designing characters, and drawing comics for most of his life. His work includes design and graphics on games from Speedball 2 and The Chaos Engine (Amiga/Atari ST) to character model design on SSX Blur (Nintendo Wii).